


Always, yes

by violentcheese



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: 4+1, BAMF Eggsy, Eggsy is a Little Shit, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Harry is a Little Shit, Love Confessions, M/M, Merwin, Rentboy Eggsy, Roxy Is a Good Bro, gratuitous explosions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-14 02:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4547007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violentcheese/pseuds/violentcheese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>4+1 based on my headcanon that while Harry always says 'Eggsy, no' follow by a long sigh, Merlin is the one to encourage him in his mad exploits with an 'Eggsy, yes!"</p><p>Or,</p><p>4 times Merlin told Eggsy yes when others told him no, and one time Merlin (accidentally) told him no.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always, yes

**Author's Note:**

> loved-ice on tumblr helped flesh out the idea for this! She's fantastic, go follow her!
> 
> Merlin's real name is Aodhán (Ay-dawn) in this, and all my other fics.

**1.**

"Gawain, abort mission," Harry orders tersely. He's in HQ, called down to sit in on Eggsy's op in Russia by Merlin. Things aren't going the greatest and protocol called for Harry's presence. "It's no use anymore, your cover's been blown. Pack up and get out, Eggsy." 

"Harry, chill! I've got this, watch," Eggsy urges in a whisper even as he sneaks past several burly, armed guards. He's in way over his head, it's ridiculous. The whole mission has been a farce from the start but Eggsy hates failing. It doesn't bother him personally so much, he can deal with it. It's feeling like he let down Merlin who always handles his briefings and mission control that gets to him. 

Eggsy's feed shows a vault door, like what one might find in a well-protected bank. It requires a code and a retina scan, that much is obvious. 

"Well, I ain't cuttin' out no one's eye, that's for sure," Eggsy balks. Harry sighs. 

"Eggsy, stop ignoring your orders and abort mission!"

"Stuff it, Harry, you don't get to give me that shit. Merlin told me all about you back in the day. You was worse than me an' Bors put together!" 

Merlin returns Harry murderous glare with a faux-innocent smile. "He asked ever-so-politely, Harry. How could I refuse?" 

"He has you wrapped around his pinky, you bald bastard," Harry mutters, kicking Merlin's shin. He knows all too much about his oldest friend's teenage crush. He isn't above using it to make Merlin squirm. 

"Ladies, please, no fightin' over my _fabulous_ self. I've got concentratin' and shit t'do." Eggsy's right. He's been staring at the vault door trying to see what can be done to crack it with the limited materials on hand. He glances about the room and he sees it. 

"Mint! Merlin, look what I found," Eggsy's breathless with excitement, this is going to be so much fun. "Do you think it'll work?" They don't even need words anymore, three years has synced them up perfectly. 

Harry knows exactly what Eggsy plans to do. "Eggsy, you'll get yourself killed."

"Harry's right, Eggsy, that's a bit far-fetche.... **Oh!** I see, shouldn't be a problem lad. I just need to... Give me a moment."

Merlin, without looking at Harry's glare, gives him the finger. "Don't you start shite-ing on at me. Ever since you became Arthur you're old and no fun. At least Eggsy's exciting."

It's very rewarding to see Merlin blush when Harry makes a snide comment about Eggsy exciting Merlin in other ways. Very rewarding indeed. 

Eggsy's gotten himself in position in the meantime, doing all the prep necessary from his end. There's going to be a lot of confusion, noise and fire in the next minute or so and he can't bloody well wait for it. 

"Last chance, Eggsy. Abort mission now or I'll suspend you for the month," Harry warns. Eggsy shrugs but it goes unseen. 

"Whatever, guv, I'll just shadow Merlin, learn more tech shit. Suspension sounds nice. Ready when you are, Merlin." 

"Perfect. On three-" Merlin tears his gaze away from the feed to aim the deadliest form of eye contact at Harry. On three, with a smug grin, Merlin presses the Big Red Button. 

Harry flicks his ear. 

Twenty minutes later, Eggsy's fighting one-handed because he sprained his wrist in the explosion. Harry's already told him so, the smarmy git. 

"Hey Merlin, what's the bets I can steal this bloke's laptop too?" 

"Eggsy, no!"

"Oh, Eggsy, **yes!** "

 

**2.**

"Watch me, Perce, watch me six," Eggsy pants to his partner for this op. They're pushed up against the warehouse's cold cement wall, the chill seeping through their suits despite the warm fabric. It's kind of hard to avoid the cold in Ireland, though, something Merlin told them but they scoffed at. 

Never again. 

Guns are blazing, tensions are high and Merlin is _loving_ it all back in England. It's the usual for them, really. Eggsy's sick of the usual, sick of watching Percival and he systematically take down their advancing group of attackers with well-placed bullets and lighter grenades. (Eggsy never leaves without a dozen of them stashed about his person, they're his favourite gadget. Merlin grumbles about production costs but Eggsy knows Merlin enjoys the explosions. It's sort of their thing, now). But Eggsy wants to do something huge, something a bit stupid and dangerous but with a brilliant payoff if it works. And it will, once Merlin gives him the go-ahead. 

"What? Why? Gawain, what are you planning?" Percival grunts at him between gun shots. Eggsy ducks, waits for a second for a slight lull in the firefight. He's lining up the lighters he has left and leaves them there. 

"Right, I'll arm them from here, you just lob them when I say," Merlin instructs on the private line he has to Eggsy. 

They're in the back-arse of nowhere, nothing of importance is around apart from a few fields. Eggsy winks up at Percival once Merlin has confirmed their little plan and asks Merlin if it's ready. 

"Aye, on my mark-" 

"Is what ready? Gawain, no! Theatrics aren't necessary, Merlin don't be a fool!" Percival gives up almost immediately, seeing that look in Eggsy's eyes (that is surely in Merlin's too back home) that promises shenanigans. Percival sighs heavily, shooting a light down from the ceiling to knock over one of the terrorists creeping up on Eggsy's turned back. "You must stop encouraging him."

"Shut up and shoot, Alastair," Merlin growls over the comms, typing rapidly all the while. "You're no fun anymore, you grumpy old fart."

Eggsy's snickering as he scoops up the six lighters, wraps them together with the tie he had pulled off when Percival wasn't looking. He sets his glasses securely on top of the half-wall they've been hiding behind for some time. Merlin wants to see the results, after all. There's a tub of fireworks on the far side of the warehouse, maybe three feet behind the main attacking group. Guess where Eggsy's aiming? 

Percival tries one more time to dissuade them from their ridiculous idea- he's too old for this shit, still haunted by James' ghost. "Eggsy, no!" 

"Eggsy, _yes_!" Merlin replies almost venomously as he presses the button that arms the lighters. 

"One!" Eggsy jumps from his crouch, takes meticulous aim, ignoring the bullets pinging off his suit jacket. He's one arm over his head to protect it, the other wrenches back in preparation. 

"Two!" Eggsy lets fly the deadly bundle, watches as it sails through the air to land smack dab in the bundle of fireworks. 

Percival doesn't even hear Merlin nor Eggsy shouting three because he's being knocked over by the young agent and the concussive force of the blast, hitting his shoulder into the wall and _fucking Christ_ , that hurts! Eggsy's laughing manically in his ear, Merlin is giving a low whistle over their line. It must be something spectacular. The air is filled with dry heat flames sucking out all the oxygen, the warehouse reverberates with the shouts of the dead and dying, the shrill noises of the fireworks pinging through the air. He's certain he can hear James' laugh ringing about in his mind. He would've loved Eggsy.

Alastair's kicking a rocket away from himself and Eggsy before it blows them up too, and Merlin's praising the young man profusely. "Good lad," and "Fucking amazing, wait till you _see_ ," and Percival hates them both, _so fucking much_.

Percival hates that this isn't even a novel experience, oh no. 

It's _every. Single. Mission_.

**3.**

"Eggsy, you have to ask him," Roxy urges her best mate quietly. They're curled up on one of the mansion's comfier couches, in the billiards room. She'd beaten him by a far larger margin than is usual- his head wasn't in the game enough to even try come close to her level of skill. So she sits him down, wraps them up together and presses their temples together. "He likes you too, he won't say no." 

"I don't wanna hear it, Rox, just let me get over him," Eggsy sighs, turning his face into her neck. She runs her hands through his hair, considering in silence. Eggsy's been gone on Merlin since their adventure in Valentine's bunker but he can't see how Merlin is exactly the same. The two are nuts for each other; Merlin is Eggsy's co-biggest encourager (along with Harry), his enabler in all things explosive and mad. Eggsy keeps Merlin plied with tea and secret napping spots, often covering for the older agent when he's too wrecked after too many successive mission overseeings to keep his eyes open. 

Merlin's too stoic to let his affection show on his face but it's there in every new gadget made with Eggsy's escapades in mind, with every hour he lingers in Medical until Eggsy awakens. Eggsy's all open adoration, loud exclamations of Merlin being 'the guv', of Merlin being a 'bleeding genius!' or 'a fucking godsend, honestly..'. Eggsy is the sun warming your skin when you're cold, heating you up from the outside in with bright smiles and joyous laughter, and Merlin is the calming sound of rain pattering off windows that turns a miserable day into a cosy one with his soft jumpers and quiet assurances of his pride of his underlings. They're a perfect match and Roxy decides it's time they sorted out their shit. She taps the side of her glasses, sending the transmission live to Merlin. 

"Why won't you just tell him?" She murmurs quietly, rubbing Eggsy's back. He's gained muscle _and_ weight over the past year, something she's immensely happy with. He was too thin back at the start but three years of solid meals on the regular have done him wonders. "At least tell me that, before you.. Move on." A warning to Merlin, that. _Sit up a take note because this might be your last chance before Eggsy gives up._

"Why _would_ I?" Eggsy shoots back sharply, apologising instantly with a squeeze. He leans his head back away from Roxy's shoulder, thumps it off the couch's arm. Scowls after finding out the arm is made of wood. Hard wood. " Seriously, Merlin ain't gonna want no snot-nosed agent, is he? Everyone knows 'm damaged goods, Rox, ever since Dean fuckin' told yous all. I don't give a shit bout what I used ta do, but no one wants an ex-rentboy, _fuck_!" 

Eggsy rips himself out of Roxy's embrace, begins to pace in front of the couch. She keeps her gaze trained on his hands as they tug frustratedly at his hair, on his face as it crumples a little, zooms in on his eyes with an unnoticeable double wink to see how he's fighting away tears. She hopes Merlin is paying close attention to the results of his refusal to acknowledge Eggsy's open crush. 

"S'not just that neither, Roxy, you know we was taught how to read if someone interested or not and he isn't! Just smiles at me, says thanks or sumfin' and tha's that! Turns away real quick-like when I'm tryna get a good look at his pulse or his eyes. He just sees me as his mate, s'all. I'll be the best mate ever, you know I ain't gonna be a shit to him, no more n' usual," they both smile at that. "I just thought we'd be better as partners, y'know?" 

"You're not the only one who thinks that," Roxy soothes, watching Eggsy curl in on himself without him even moving a muscle. It's all in his eyes, the clenching of his jaw. His mouth lies, this she has learned over the years. His mouth is always ready with a smile and a joke to redirect attention no matter his true feelings, but Eggsy's always been horrible at pulling a curtain across the emotions in his eyes. It'll be his downfall one day. 

"Thanks, babes, but it ain't worth shit no more. You was there when I asked Harry about it, he was all 'Eggsy, no, Merlin?'. And fuck me if Merlin won't be the same!" Eggsy deepens his own voice, making his accent harsher than it ever is normally. "Oi oi, Merls, fancy comin' t'dinner wiv me? Happy endin' an'all, no charge for you!" He makes a face and Roxy tries to interrupt but he's mimicking Merlin's accent almost effortlessly. A testament to the amount of hours they spend together, Gawain and Merlin. "You have ta be jokin', lad. Me and you? On a _date_? What shitey shite are you spewing? Eggsy, no." 

"Actually, Eggsy, yes."

Eggsy freezes on the spot, eyes wide as he glares at Roxy. His hands are mid-air, impersonating Merlin speaking with his hands. Eggsy squeezes shut his eyes, devastation and boundless hope warring within him. 

"He's behind me, ain't he?" he stage whispers to Roxy, who laughs softly and answers in the affirmative. 

"He's quite close, actually. I think I'll leave you two alone. Thursday tea is on you for this!" Roxy grins as she passes by both Eggsy, who's still frozen, and Merlin, who looks ready to shit himself. Ah, men. 

"Just how close exactly?" Eggsy asks the air in front of him. The only answer he receives is arms wrapping about his waist, a cheek being settled on top of his head. Oh. _Really_ close, then. Hardly daring to breathe, Eggsy lowers his hands to cover Merlin's- Merlin's hands are on his waist what the _fuck_ this is the best- and waits. 

"Roxy turned on her glasses," Merlin's warm voice rumbles against Eggsy's back. "I saw- Eggsy, you aren't damaged goods, lad. None of us think less of you for your past, and it doesn't bother _me_. What 'shitey shite are you spewing?'" he quotes, smiling against his wonderful young man's hair. 

"It's not 'shitey shite', which we hav'ta stop sayin', it's ridiculous, it's serious! I did the NLP stuff, the stuff to see if you was interested-"

"I was the one who taught you all of that, Eggsy," Merlin laughs quietly, turning the young agent around to face him. He's a sight to see, with his slightly-reddened eyes and his blushing. Merlin's fucking _bewitched_. "I know how to deflect all of the NLP training too. I.. I didn't want you to see." 

"See what?" Like hell Eggsy is going to let Merlin get away without saying it aloud. He sets his jaw, lifts his chin and stares. It ain't a hardship, starin' into Merlin's eyes. Eggsy would well do it all day, his eyes are wicked massive. 

"That somewhere along the line you started to mean more to me than just a friend," Merlin answers with a quirk of his lips. "I thought you just had a small crush, entirely excusable seeing what we've been through together. I was waiting for it to.. Fizzle out, if you like. I wasn't about to ruin what we had for something that I thought wasn't going to last." 

"For such a smart wanker, you're a right twat sometimes, Aodhán," Eggsy sighs wearily, before pulling Merlin down for a proper smacker of a kiss. It's good, it's right and it leads to a lot of 'Eggsy, yes'-es. 

**4.**

"I'm gonna ask Aodhán to move in with me, Mum," Eggsy informs Michelle over the phone a year later. He's nervous as hell, more nervous than even on V-Day, fighting Gazelle. 

"Babe! That's brilliant, I'm so proud," Michelle gushes, joyed for her baby boy. "Do you think he'll say yes? He had better, if he knows what's good for him." 

"Mum, jesus, relax," Eggsy laughs. Stretching out on his (soon to be their) bed, Eggsy's waiting for Merlin to finish up in the shower before they go out to dinner. Eggsy's got a whole plan thought out; dinner, drinks, asking Merlin over dessert. The afters are unknown yet, depending in Merlin's answer. "Daisy'll hear you."

"Good! She'll kill Aodhán herself if he says no, you know how much she loves him." 

It's true. Daisy had taken to Merlin like a imprinting duckling. Tea parties, bedtime stories, sleepovers in Merlin's house with him and Eggsy, the whole shebang. Eggsy swore that sometimes she loved Merlin more than she loved her own brother, to which Merlin would brag that his looks were the reason for it. Arsehole. 

"I know, I know. I.. What if he does say no, though??" he drops his voice, aware of how the shower has turned off. Merlin will have to shave though, there's still time to chat. "I'm terrified, Mum. What do I do if he says no?" 

"You step on his foot and ask him again," Michelle teases. "He won't, love. He's arse over teakettle for you anyways, I don't think he could ever tell you no." 

Eggsy blushes. "That's what Roxy and Harry said too. You'd swear he was my-" He cuts himself off in time, remembering its his _Mum_ he's chatting with, not Roxy. He can't go around calling Merlin his sugar daddy to his _Mum_. 

Michelle hums knowingly. "I don't care if he is, he's lovely. Best of luck with asking him, Eggsy. Here's Daisy, love you!" The phone is passed over and then Eggsy's attention is taken up by his seven year old sister rambling excitedly about her week. They don't live together, Eggsy wanted somewhere separate, but he visits almost every day, if he can. Even so, Daisy always has new stories to tell him. He blows Merlin a kiss when he comes out of the bathroom, gets a grumpy two-fingered salute in return. Ah, love. So pure, so fulfilling. 

~~~ 

"You're just going to sit there? Seriously?" Eggsy asks sadly over their dessert course. He'd asked Merlin about moving in with Eggsy, about really committing to each other. No answer. Nothing. Nada. 

Zilch. 

Eggsy's feeling kinda heartbroken, to be honest. And a hurt Eggsy is a spiteful one. 

"Come _on_ , Aodhán, at least give me a bloody answer. No need to be such a tosser about it. If you don't want to- to live with me, you just gotta say. I'll take my shit from your house tomorrow, if you want," he all but sneers. Honestly, though, he's ready to cry, He's just gotten good at hiding it. 

"Look, I'll do it for you! Are you ready?" Eggsy pushes back from the table, grabbing a wad of money from his pocket and throwing it between their plates. " _Eggsy, no_. Simple as that, Aodhán. Cheers for nothing." 

Back straight, head held high, Eggsy walks away from the man he's loved for four years, has called his own for one. Walks away with his heart beginning to shatter but his face as straight as a ruler. Show no weakness, was his motto. 

"Eggsy!"

No. Don't turn around. Out the door, come on, call a cab-

"Eggsy!"

Closer, almost as close as that first day in the billiards room-

"Eggsy, you brat, yes! Eggsy, yes, for fuck's sake," Merlin gasps when he catches up to his sunshine, grabs his arm to stop him before he leaves. 

"You took me by surprise, lad, I wasn't expecting that. I'm sorry, sweetheart." Eggsy slumps, letting Merlin pull him against his broad chest. He'd even dressed up in his nice suit for the occasion, Eggsy's getting tearstains on it. Harry'll go mental. "I'm sorry, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, come here." Merlin crushes him in a tight hug, pets his hair, kisses his forehead. Calls them a cab. 

"You was just starin', I.. I thought that was it," Eggsy sniffs, leaning back to check Merlin isn't lying. "No point stayin' together if you don't wanna live together eventually, innit?"

"I know, mo graidh, I know. I'm sorry. If your offer still stands, I'd love to move in with you. God knows my place is too small for us," he smiles tentatively down at his partner, watches the happiness wash away the sadness in his lovely green eyes. 

"'Course it still stands, you wanker. Guess that's official, then?" Eggsy laughs breathlessly, unable to believe Merlin actually said yes- and overwhelmingly glad he did. 

"Aye, Eggsy. That's us official." 

**+1**

Eggsy, over the past seven years, has gotten very used to hearing Merlin say 'Eggsy, yes!' to him.  
He certainly isn't expecting any other answer, not today. 

Not when he goes down on one knee in the billiards room, holds up a simple silver band to Merlin and asks "Will you marry me, love? Shitey shite and all?". Not when he beams up at the love of his life, watches him roll his eyes. 

"Eggsy, no," Merlin sighs wearily. "Get up off the ground, you eejit. Harry's given us the day off to relax, not to mess about pretending to get engaged." He turns back to his clipboard, completely missing Eggsy's bewildered look. 

"Aodhán... Why would I pretend to ask you t'marry me?" Eggsy prompts, shoulders beginning to sag. He's fucking grateful they're alone- he'll have the video destroyed later too. "This ain't a joke, you twat."

"It.. Isn't..?" Merlin frowns at him over his clipboard. Then he really takes in Eggsy's new suit, the band in the box that isn't actually cheap stuff- not by a long shot-, sees the earnest look on his face. 

Bollocks. 

"Shite, lad I- Ask me again?" Merlin tosses the board onto the sofa, crouches down opposite Eggsy and kisses him gently. "Ask me again. I didn't know, the first time."

"This is like asking you to move in all over again," Eggsy huffs, a little annoyed. He offers up the engagement band once more. 

"Right, you fuckin' dickhead who I love very much for some reason, will you just bloody well agree to marry me already?" 

Merlin pinches Eggsy's arm, muttering 'cheeky' under his breath. But it's with absolute and utter love and adoration that he lets Eggsy slide the ring on reverentially, promising "Yes, Eggsy. Always, yes."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! VIolentcheese on tumblr, as usual. Enjoy :)


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